Method and apparatus for synchronizing frames of two different wireless transmission systems associated with a wireless device

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method that includes receiving, by a traffic arbiter, a predetermined time-slot allocation of one or more uplink time slots and/or one or more downlink time slots for a first wireless media access control (MAC) configured to operate within a first wireless transmission system. The method also includes determining, by the traffic arbiter, whether to grant a second wireless MAC, configured to operate within a second wireless transmission system, permission to transmit or receive based at least in part on the predetermined time-slot allocation.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/474,999, filed May 18, 2012, now U.S.Pat. No. 8,514,882, issued Aug. 20, 2013, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/334,319, filed Dec. 12, 2008, nowU.S. Pat. No. 8,184,658, issued May 22, 2012, which claims priority toU.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/016,150, filed Dec. 21, 2007,which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of wirelesscommunication, and more particularly, to arbitration of media accesscontrol between two or more media access control devices when at leastone has predetermined time-slot allocations.

BACKGROUND

Many wireless networks utilize Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) fortransmittal between a sender and a receiver, which allocates time-slotsto each wireless network participant. For example, the WiMAX standard(Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is based uponInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16. An802.16 subscriber station Media Access Control (MAC) will be allocatedone or more uplink and downlink time-slots for access to the basestation. This way, it need not contend for access to the base station,except upon initial entry into the network.

The Bluetooth™ specification was established by the Bluetooth SpecialInterest Group. Bluetooth is a form of Personal Area Network (PAN) andutilizes, as do many other PANs, TDM and time-slot allocation for accessbetween a sender and a receiver.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method that includesreceiving, by a traffic arbiter, a predetermined time-slot allocation ofone or more uplink time slots and/or one or more downlink time slots fora first wireless media access control (MAC) configured to operate withina first wireless transmission system. The method also includesdetermining, by the traffic arbiter, whether to grant a second wirelessMAC, configured to operate within a second wireless transmission system,permission to transmit or receive based at least in part on thepredetermined time-slot allocation.

In accordance with various embodiments, the method further includesdenying, by the traffic arbiter, permission to the second wireless MACto transmit during any times corresponding to any of the downlink timeslots allocated to the first wireless MAC. In accordance with variousembodiments, the method further includes denying, by the trafficarbiter, permission to the second wireless MAC to receive during anytimes corresponding to any of the uplink time slots allocated to thefirst wireless MAC.

In accordance with various embodiments, the method further includesgranting, by the traffic arbiter, permission to the second wireless MACto transmit at a transmit time during one of the downlink time slotsallocated to the first wireless MAC, or to receive during a receive timecorresponding to one of the uplink time slots allocated to the firstwireless MAC if a transmit priority meets or exceeds a downlink prioritylevel associated with the one of the downlink time slots or if a receivepriority meets or exceeds an uplink priority level associated with theone of the uplink time slots. In accordance with some embodiments, themethod further includes denying, by the traffic arbiter, permission tothe first wireless MAC to transmit at the transmit time, or to receiveduring the receive time if the associated priority meets or exceeds apriority level associated with the corresponding one of the uplink timeslots or with the corresponding one of the downlink time slots.

In accordance with various embodiments, the method further includesgranting, by the traffic arbiter, permission to the first wireless MACto transmit at a transmit time during one of the uplink time slotsallocated to the first wireless MAC, or to receive during a receive timecorresponding to one of the downlink time slots allocated to the firstwireless MAC. In accordance with various embodiments, the method furtherincludes granting, by the traffic arbiter, permission to the secondwireless MAC to transmit at a transmit time during one of the uplinktime slots allocated to the first wireless MAC, or to receive during areceive time corresponding to one of the downlink time slots allocatedto the first wireless MAC.

In accordance with various embodiments, the predetermined time-slotallocation is associated with a frame of the first wireless transmissionsystem, and the method further includes causing, by the traffic arbiter,the first wireless MAC to enter a sleep mode during one or more otherframes of the first wireless transmission system, and granting, by thetraffic arbiter, permission to the second wireless MAC to transmitand/or receive during any times associated with the one or more otherframes of the first wireless transmission system, while first wirelessMAC is in sleep mode.

In accordance with various embodiments, the method further includesrequesting, by the first wireless MAC, a subsequent time-slot allocationcomprising one or more subsequent uplink time slots and/or one or moresubsequent downlink time slots having a duration no greater than arequested duration in order to accommodate performance requirements ofan application of the second wireless MAC. In accordance with variousembodiments, the method further includes synchronizing, by the secondwireless MAC, a clock of the second wireless MAC to correspond to aframe timing of the first wireless transmission system.

In accordance with various embodiments, the determining comprisesdetermining whether a current time is during an uplink sub-frame of afirst wireless MAC frame or is during a downlink sub-frame of the firstwireless MAC frame, and the method further includes granting, by thetraffic arbiter, receive permission to the second wireless MAC duringall or a portion of the downlink sub-frame, and granting, by the trafficarbiter, transmit permission to the second wireless MAC during all or aportion of the uplink sub-frame.

The present invention also provides a system comprising a first wirelessmedia access control (MAC) configured to control media access on a firstwireless transmission system, and a baseband configured to transmit andreceive on the first wireless transmission system under control of thefirst wireless MAC. The system also includes a traffic arbiterconfigured to be coupled to a second wireless MAC, receive apredetermined allocation comprising one or more uplink time slots forthe first wireless MAC to transmit on the first wireless transmissionsystem and/or one or more downlink time slots for the first wireless MACto receive on the first wireless transmission system, and determinewhether to allow the second wireless MAC to transmit and/or receive onthe second wireless transmission system based at least in part on thepredetermined allocation.

In accordance with various embodiments, the system further includes thesecond wireless MAC. In accordance with various embodiments, the firstwireless MAC is configured to receive, from a base station, thepredetermined allocation and to transmit it to the traffic arbiter. Inaccordance with various embodiments, the traffic arbiter is furtherconfigured to deny permission to the second wireless MAC to transmitduring any times corresponding to any of the downlink time slotsallocated to the first wireless MAC. In accordance with variousembodiments, the traffic arbiter is further configured to denypermission to the second wireless MAC to receive during any timescorresponding to any of the uplink time slots allocated to the firstwireless MAC.

In accordance with various embodiments, the traffic arbiter is furtherconfigured to receive, from the second wireless MAC, an associatedtransmit priority or an associated receive priority, and to grantpermission to the second wireless MAC to transmit at a transmit timeduring one of the downlink time slots allocated to the first wirelessMAC, or to receive during a receive time to one of the uplink time slotsallocated to the first wireless MAC if the associated transmit prioritymeets or exceeds a downlink priority level associated with the one ofthe downlink time slots or if the associated receive priority meets orexceeds an uplink priority level associated with the one of the uplinktime slots.

In accordance with various embodiments, the traffic arbiter is furtherconfigured to deny permission to the first wireless MAC to transmit atthe transmit time, or to receive during the receive time if theassociated priority meets or exceeds a priority level associated withthe corresponding one of the uplink time slots or with the correspondingone of the downlink time slots. In accordance with various embodiments,the traffic arbiter is further configured to grant permission to thefirst wireless MAC to transmit at a transmit time during one of theuplink time slots allocated to the first wireless MAC, or to receiveduring a receive time corresponding to one of the downlink time slotsallocated to the first wireless MAC. In accordance with variousembodiments, the traffic arbiter is further configured to grantpermission to the second wireless MAC to transmit at a transmit timeduring one of the uplink time slots allocated to the first wireless MAC,or to receive during a receive time corresponding to one of the downlinktime slots allocated to the first wireless MAC.

In accordance with various embodiments, the predetermined time-slotallocation is associated with a frame of the first wireless transmissionsystem, and the traffic arbiter is further configured to cause the firstwireless MAC to enter a sleep mode during one or more other frames ofthe first wireless transmission system, and to grant permission to thesecond wireless MAC to transmit and/or receive during any timesassociated with the one or more other frames of the first wirelesstransmission system.

In accordance with various embodiments, the first wireless MAC isconfigured to request a subsequent time-slot allocation comprising oneor more subsequent uplink time slots and/or one or more subsequentdownlink time slots having a duration no greater than a requestedduration, to accommodate performance requirements of an application ofthe second wireless MAC. In accordance with various embodiments, thesecond wireless MAC is further configured to synchronize a clock of thesecond wireless MAC to correspond to a frame timing of the firstwireless transmission system.

The present invention also provides a traffic arbiter configured toreceive a predetermined allocation comprising one or more time slots fora first wireless MAC to operate on a first wireless transmission system,and to determine whether to allow a second wireless MAC to operate on asecond wireless transmission system based at least in part on thepredetermined allocation.

In accordance with various embodiments, the traffic arbiter is furtherconfigured to deny transmit permission to the second wireless MAC duringany times corresponding to any downlink time slots of the one or moretime slots allocated to the first wireless MAC. In accordance withvarious embodiments, the traffic arbiter is further configured to denypermission to the second wireless MAC to receive during any timescorresponding to any uplink time slots of the one or more time slotsallocated to the first wireless MAC. In accordance with variousembodiments, the traffic arbiter is further configured to grantpermission to the second wireless MAC to transmit at a transmit timecorresponding to a downlink time slot of the one or more time slotsallocated to the first wireless MAC, or to receive at a receive timecorresponding to an uplink time slot of the one or more time slotsallocated to the first wireless MAC if an associated transmit prioritymeets or exceeds a downlink priority level associated with the downlinktime slot or if an associated receive priority meets or exceeds anuplink priority level associated with the uplink time slot.

In accordance with various embodiments, the traffic arbiter is furtherconfigured to deny permission to the first wireless MAC to transmit atthe transmit time, or to receive during the receive time if theassociated transmit priority meets or exceeds the downlink prioritylevel associated with the downlink time slot or if the associatedreceive priority meets or exceeds the uplink priority level associatedwith the uplink time slot. In accordance with various embodiments, thetraffic arbiter is further configured to grant permission to the firstwireless MAC to transmit at a transmit time during an uplink time slotof the one or more time slots allocated to the first wireless MAC, or toreceive during a receive time corresponding to a downlink time slot ofthe one or more time slots allocated to the first wireless MAC.

In accordance with various embodiments, the traffic arbiter is furtherconfigured to grant permission to the second wireless MAC to transmit ata transmit time during an uplink time slot of the one or more time slotsallocated to the first wireless MAC, or to receive during a receive timeduring a downlink time slot of the one or more time slots allocated tothe first wireless MAC. In accordance with various embodiments, thepredetermined time-slot allocation is associated with a frame of thefirst wireless transmission system, and the traffic arbiter is furtherconfigured to cause the first wireless MAC to enter a sleep mode duringone or more other frames of the first wireless transmission system, andto allow the second wireless MAC to transmit and/or receive during anytimes associated with the one or more other frames of the first wirelesstransmission system.

In accordance with various embodiments, the traffic arbiter is furtherconfigured to create a traffic arbitration table based at least in parton the received predetermined time-slot allocation and to perform alook-up to the traffic arbitration table to determine whether to allowthe second wireless MAC to operate on the second wireless transmissionsystem. In accordance with various embodiments, the traffic arbiter isfurther configured to determine whether a current time is during anuplink sub-frame of a first wireless MAC frame of the first wirelesstransmission system or during a downlink sub-frame of the first wirelessMAC frame, to grant receive permission to the second wireless MAC duringall or a portion of the downlink sub-frame, and to grant transmitpermission to the second wireless MAC during all or a portion of theuplink sub-frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be readily understood by thefollowing detailed description in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings. Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of exampleand not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanyingdrawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a traffic arbiter and two MediaAccess Controls in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 2 illustrates a network overview of two wireless transmissionsystems including a traffic arbiter in accordance with variousembodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates a timing diagram showing transmit and receivesynchronization between two Media Access Controls in accordance withvarious embodiments;

FIG. 4 illustrates frame synchronization between two Media AccessControls in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 5 illustrates a timing diagram with one Media Access Controlutilizing a sleep mode in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 6 illustrates arbitrating between two Media Access Controls inaccordance with various embodiments; and

FIG. 7 illustrates arbitrating between two Media Access Controls withpriority in accordance with various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings which form a part hereof wherein like numeralsdesignate like parts throughout, and in which is shown by way ofillustration embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It isto be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structuralor logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. Therefore, the following detailed description is notto be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments inaccordance with the present invention is defined by the appended claimsand their equivalents.

Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations inturn, in a manner that may be helpful in understanding embodiments ofthe present invention; however, the order of description should not beconstrued to imply that these operations are order dependent. Also, theinclusion of multiple operations should not be construed that alloperations are necessary for all embodiments.

For the purposes of the present invention, the phrase “A/B” means A orB. For the purposes of the present invention, the phrase “A and/or B”means “(A), (B), or (A and B).” For the purposes of the presentinvention, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” means “(A), (B),(C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C).” For the purposesof the present invention, the phrase “(A)B” means “(B) or (AB)” that is,A is an optional element.

The description may use the phrases “in an embodiment,” or “inembodiments,” which may each refer to one or more of the same ordifferent embodiments. Furthermore, the terms “comprising,” “including,”“having,” and the like, as used with respect to embodiments of thepresent invention, are synonymous.

Embodiments of the present invention may provide traffic arbiters toarbitrate between two or more wireless Media Access Controls (MACs).When two wireless MACs operate within disparate, butgeographically-overlapping, wireless Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)wireless systems on the same or similar radio frequencies, there existsthe potential for disruptive interference caused by concurrent transmitand receive operations. Where at least a first MAC has pre-determinedtime-slot allocations for receiving and/or transmitting, trafficarbiters according to various embodiments may allocate transmit andreceive time-slot allocations to a second MAC based on thepre-determined time-slot allocation of the first wireless MAC. Trafficarbiters may deny permission to the second wireless MAC to transmitduring a downlink time-slot allocation of the first wireless MAC and/ordeny permission to the second wireless MAC to receive during an uplinktime-slot allocation of the first wireless MAC. Priority may be used bythe traffic arbiter to grant permission to the second wireless MACduring a time otherwise reserved for the first wireless MAC. In thisfashion, the two MACs may coexist while transmitting on a same orsimilar frequency band, but with a reduced opportunity for disruptiveinterference.

Embodiments may include WiMAX and Bluetooth™ MACs and wirelessnetworks/systems. But embodiments are not limited to these wirelessprotocols nor are they limited to systems, mobile and wireless devices,and base stations using one or both of these standards. Embodiments mayinclude traffic arbiters to arbitrate between any two or more disparateTDM wireless systems where at least one has a predetermined time-slotallocation.

Embodiments may comply with the Institute of Electrical and ElectronicsEngineer (IEEE) 802.16.e and IEEE 802.15.2 recommended practice forpacket traffic arbitration and Adaptive Frequency Hopping scheme.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a traffic arbiter and two MediaAccess Controls (MACS) in accordance with various embodiments of thepresent invention. The system shown in FIG. 1 may include first MAC 101,second MAC 103, and traffic arbiter 105. First MAC 101 may be coupled tobaseband 107, which may also be coupled to traffic arbiter 105. Baseband107 may be configured to transmit and/or receive on a first wirelesstransmission system under the control of first wireless MAC 101. SecondMAC 103 may be coupled to baseband 109, which may also be coupled totraffic arbiter 105. Baseband 109 may be configured to transmit and/orreceive on a second wireless transmission system under the control ofsecond wireless MAC 103. Traffic arbiter 105 may be configured toreceive a time-slot allocation for first MAC 101. In embodiments, thetime-slot allocation may include, or be derived from, an uplinksub-frame map and/or a downlink sub-frame map. Traffic arbiter 105 maybe configured to receive this predetermined time-slot allocation fromfirst MAC 101 or from another source. First MAC 101 may be configured toreceive the time-slot allocation from a base-station. In embodimentswhere first MAC 101 is a WiMAX MAC, these time-slot allocations may beincluded in a DLMAP and/or a ULMAP of a WIMAX frame header. A frame ofthe first wireless MAC may include an uplink time period and/or adownlink time period. The uplink time period may include one or moretime-slots allocated to first wireless MAC 101 for uplink transmissionfrom first wireless MAC 101 to the base station. The downlink timeperiod may include one or more time-slots allocated to first wirelessMAC 101 for downlink transmission from the base station to the firstwireless MAC 101. First wireless MAC 101 may be configured to transmitand/or receive via baseband 107. Second wireless MAC 103 may beconfigured to transmit and/or receive via baseband 109.

Traffic arbiter 105 may be configured to receive a transmit requestand/or a receive request from first wireless MAC 101. Traffic arbiter105 may be configured to determine, based upon the receivedpredetermined time-slot allocation for first wireless MAC 101 whether togrant transmit or receive permission to first wireless MAC 101. Inparticular—where the request is a receive request—traffic arbiter 105may be configured to determine whether the current time coincides withone of the one or more allocated downlink time-slots for first wirelessMAC 101 to receive communications from the base station. Where therequest is a transmit request, traffic arbiter 105 may be configured todetermine whether the current time coincides with one of the one or moreallocated uplink time-slots for first wireless MAC 101 to transmitcommunications to the base station. If the current time so coincides,then traffic arbiter 105 may grant transmit or receive permission tofirst wireless MAC 101. If the current time does not coincide, thentraffic arbiter 105 may deny the requested permission.

Traffic arbiter 105 may be configured to receive a transmit requestand/or a receive request from second wireless MAC 103. Traffic arbiter105 may be configured to determine, based upon the receivedpredetermined time-slot allocations for first wireless MAC 101 whetherto grant transmit or receive permission to second wireless MAC 103.Where the request is a receive request, traffic arbiter 105 may beconfigured to determine whether the current time coincides with anuplink time period of the first wireless MAC frame and, if so, denysecond wireless MAC 103 permission to receive. Where the request is atransmit request, traffic arbiter 105 may be configured to determinewhether the current time coincides with a downlink time period of thefirst wireless MAC frame and, if so, deny second wireless MAC 103permission to transmit.

Note that, in various embodiments, traffic arbiter 105 may be configuredto grant receive permission to second wireless MAC 103 during thoseportions of the uplink time period of the first wireless MAC frame thatdo not coincide with an allocated uplink time-slot to first wireless MAC101. Similarly, traffic arbiter 105 may be configured to grant transmitpermission to second wireless MAC 103 during those portions of thedownlink time period of the first wireless MAC frame that do notcoincide with an allocated downlink time-slot to first wireless MAC 101.In other embodiments, traffic arbiter 105 may be configured to denytransmit permission to second wireless MAC 103 during all of thedownlink time period of the first wireless MAC frame and to deny receivepermission to second wireless MAC 103 during all of the uplink timeperiod of the first wireless MAC frame, regardless of particulartime-slot allocations of first wireless MAC 101.

In accordance with various embodiments, traffic arbiter 105 may beconfigured to receive or set transmit and receive priorities for firstwireless MAC 101 for each of the uplink and downlink time slotsallocated to first wireless MAC 101. Traffic arbiter 105 may beconfigured to receive these priorities from first wireless MAC module101. In various embodiments, traffic arbiter 105 may receive an assertedpriority from second wireless MAC 103 when receiving a transmit and/or areceive request from second wireless MAC 103. In such embodiments,traffic arbiter may be configured to determine whether the current timecoincides with either an uplink or downlink time period of the firstwireless MAC frame as described above, or to determine whether thecurrent time coincides with an allocated uplink or downlink time slotfor first wireless MAC 101 as described above. Traffic arbiter 105 maybe configured to then determine whether the transmit priority assertedby second wireless MAC 103 exceeds the transmit priority of firstwireless MAC 101. If so, traffic arbiter 105 may over-ride theallocations and grant transmit permission to second wireless MAC 103during all or a portion of a downlink time frame of the first wirelessMAC frame, or during all or a portion of an allocated downlink time-slotof first wireless MAC 101. In such embodiments, traffic arbiter 105 maydeny receive permission to first wireless MAC 101 during all or aportion of the downlink time frame of the first wireless MAC frame, orduring all or a portion of the one or more allocated downlink time-slotsof the first wireless MAC.

In embodiments where the asserted priority meets or exceeds the receivepriority of first wireless MAC 101, traffic arbiter 105 may over-ridethe allocations and grant receive permission to second wireless MAC 103during all or a portion of an uplink time frame of the first wirelessMAC frame, or during all or a portion of an allocated uplink time-slotof first wireless MAC 101. In such embodiments, traffic arbiter 105 maydeny transmit permission to first wireless MAC 101 during all or aportion of the uplink time frame of the first wireless MAC frame orduring all or a portion of the one or more allocated uplink time-slotsof the first wireless MAC.

Table 1 illustrates an example time-slot allocation of first wirelessMAC 101 in accordance with various embodiments. In this example, a firstwireless MAC frame has 50 time slots (0 through 49). This coincides withembodiments where the first wireless MAC frame is a WiMAX frame, whichoften has 50 Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbolsper frame. In this example, first wireless MAC 101 has been allocatedtime slots 0-3 for receiving (indicated by a “1”) and time slots 47-49for transmitting (also indicated by a “1”). In this example, a priorityof “1” is considered a relatively high priority, while a priority of “3”is considered relatively low. Table 1 is meant to be exemplary only, andembodiments of traffic arbiter 105 may utilize alternative nomenclatureto designate allocated time slots for first wireless MAC 101 and/oralternative nomenclature to designate relative priorities.

TABLE 1 Time Slot 0 1 2 3 4 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 48 49 Tx0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 Rx 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Prior- 1 2 31 1 2 1 3 1 1 3 1 2 3 ity Tx — — M2 — — — M2 M2 — — M2 M1 — M1 Status M2M2 Rx M1 M1 — M1 M2 M2 — — — — — M2 Status M2

The “Tx status” row of Table 1 indicates which of the two wireless MACsin this example ultimately transmits during each time-slot. The “Rxstatus” row of Table 1 indicates which of the two wireless MACsultimately receives during each time-slot. As can be seen, the two MACsmay both transmit and/or receive at the same time (as long as firstwireless MAC 101 is allocated an uplink/downlink time slot) but invarious embodiments, the two wireless MACs may not be allowed totransmit while the other is receiving and vice versa. For example, bothMACS receive on time slot 0 and both transmit during time slots 47 and49. But first wireless MAC 101 is allowed to transmit only during timeslots 47-49 and, in this example, ultimately transmits only on timeslots 47 and 49. Traffic arbiter 105 may override the allocations andgrant second wireless MAC 103 permission to transmit on time slot 48. Inembodiments, this may be because of the relatively low transmit priorityof first wireless MAC 101 during this time slot (e.g. priority “3”).Similarly, first wireless MAC 101 is allocated time-slots 0-3 forreceiving, but only receives on time-slots 0, 1, and 3. Traffic arbitermay, as in this example, override the allocations and grant secondwireless MAC 103 permission to receive during this time slot. Secondwireless MAC 103 may have asserted higher priority during thesetime-slots. Second wireless MAC 103 may also, as in this example, beallowed to transmit or receive during time slots not allocated to firstwireless MAC 101.

In embodiments, traffic arbiter 105 may be configured to utilize atraffic allocation—such as is shown in Table 1—as a traffic arbitrationtable for use to arbitrate media access requests between first wirelessMAC 101 and second wireless MAC 103. Traffic arbiter 105 may also beconfigured to utilize a traffic allocation to generate a trafficarbitration table, having additional information such as, for example,indications of which time-slots are part of an uplink sub-frame andwhich are part of a downlink sub-frame. Traffic arbiter 105 may befurther configured determine whether to grant or deny transmit and/orreceive requests based at least in part on the time-slot allocation.Traffic arbiter 105 may be configured to determine whether to grant ordeny transmit and/or receive requests based at least in part on whetherthe time-slot is an uplink time-slot or a downlink time-slot. Trafficarbiter 105 may also be configured to perform a look-up to a trafficarbitration table to determine whether to grant or deny transmit and/orreceive requests. Traffic arbiter 105 may be further configured to beginwith a default traffic arbitration table—such as one that disablessecond wireless MAC 103 transmits at all times—and to determine a newone based on the received time-slot allocation for first wireless MAC101.

In various embodiments, first wireless MAC 101 may be configured toenter sleep mode during all or a portion of a time period of the firstwireless MAC frame. In such embodiments, traffic arbiter 105 may beconfigured to instruct first wireless MAC 101 to enter sleep mode.Traffic arbiter 105 may also be configured to grant transmit and/orreceive permissions to second wireless MAC 103 during any time periodwhere first wireless MAC 101 is in a sleep mode.

In various embodiments, therefore, traffic arbiter 105 may reduce thepotential for disruptive interference caused by concurrent transmit andreceive operations of first wireless MAC 101 and second wireless MAC103. The two MACs may be allowed to both transmit and/or both receive atthe same time. Only concurrent transmission by first wireless MAC 101and receiving by second wireless MAC 103 may be avoided. Thus, onlyconcurrent receiving by first wireless MAC 101 and transmission bysecond wireless MAC 103 may be avoided. In other words, in variousembodiments, traffic arbiter 105 may allow second wireless MAC 103 totransmit at the same time as first wireless MAC 101 receives oralternatively to allow second wireless MAC 105 to receive at the sametime as first wireless MAC 101 transmits, depending on requirements ofthe two MACs.

In various embodiments—such as embodiments where second wireless MAC 103is a Bluetooth™ MAC—second wireless MAC 103 may have a slavedesignation, and the device with which it communicates may be designatedas a master. In such embodiments, second wireless MAC 103 may beconfigured to alter roles to become a master so that it may alter theclock-offset to synchronize with the first wireless MAC frame timing. Todo so, second wireless MAC 103 may need to determine a time deltabetween the first wireless MAC frame timing and a second wireless MACframe timing. In various embodiments, second wireless MAC 103, operatingin a slave mode, may be configured to request that the master devicealter the clock-offset to synchronize with the first wireless MACtiming. Traffic arbiter 105 may be configured to instruct or requestthat second wireless MAC take one of these actions. In alternativeembodiments, the first and second wireless MAC frames may remainun-synchronized.

In embodiments—such as where first wireless MAC 101 is a WiMAX MAC andsecond wireless MAC 103 is a Bluetooth™ MAC—it may only be necessary toprevent concurrent Bluetooth™ transmit and WiMAX receive operations toavoid the potential for disruptive interference. In such embodiments,concurrent Bluetooth™ receive and WiMAX transmit operations may notcause disruptive interference.

In accordance with various embodiments, either first wireless MAC 101 orsecond wireless MAC 103 may be configured to cooperatively reduce powerwhen simultaneously transmitting and/or simultaneously receiving.

FIG. 2 illustrates a network overview of two wireless transmissionsystems including a traffic arbiter in accordance with variousembodiments. Mobile device 231 may include first wireless MAC 201,second wireless MAC 203, and traffic arbiter 205. In alternativeembodiments, second wireless MAC 203 may be a device external to mobiledevice 231. In accordance with various embodiments, first wireless MAC201, second wireless MAC 203, and traffic arbiter 205 may be operativelycoupled to one another via a physical coupling. Base station 221 andfirst wireless MAC 201 may be configured to operate using a firstwireless transmission system utilizing a first wireless TDM protocol(such as, for example WiMAX or other protocol). First wireless MAC 201may be configured to control access to the first wireless transmissionsystem. Wireless device 211 and second wireless MAC 203 may beconfigured to operate and communicate using a second wirelesstransmission system utilizing a second wireless TDM protocol (such as,for example, Bluetooth™ or other protocol). Second wireless MAC 203 maybe configured to control access to the second wireless transmissionsystem. Base station 221 may be configured to allocate time slots duringa first wireless MAC frame for first wireless MAC 201 to transmit and/orreceive. Traffic arbiter 205 may be configured to receive a time-slotallocation and to determine, as described elsewhere within thisspecification, whether to grant permission to first wireless MAC 201 andsecond wireless MAC 203 to transmit and/or receive based at least on thereceived time-slot allocation for first wireless MAC 201. In accordancewith various embodiments, mobile device 231, wireless device 211 andbase station 221 may be operatively coupled to one another wirelessly,as is known in the art.

In various embodiments, first wireless MAC 201 may be configured torequest, from base station 221, a time-slot allocation comprising one ormore uplink time slots and/or one or more downlink time slots havingdurations no greater than a requested duration, to accommodateperformance requirements of an application of the second wireless MAC.First wireless MAC 201 may be configured to request a time-slotallocation having a particular frequency to accommodate applicationsutilizing first wireless MAC 201, applications utilizing second wirelessMAC 203, or both. For example, where an application operating oversecond wireless MAC is an audio application (such as for example wherewireless device 211 is a Bluetooth™ headset), it may require a certainamount of free bandwidth and/or free bandwidth at determined periodicintervals.

In accordance with various embodiments, mobile device 231 and/orwireless device 211 could be a mobile phone, a laptop computer, anetbook, a personal data assistant (PDA), a desktop computer, a mediaplayer, a headset, media player, remote storage, or other device.

FIG. 3 illustrates a timing diagram showing transmit and receivesynchronization between two Media Access Controls in accordance withvarious embodiments. Together, downlink sub-frame 301 and uplinksub-frame 303 may comprise all or part of wireless MAC frame 321. Invarious embodiments, wireless MAC frame 321 may be, for example, a WiMAXframe. WiMAX frames may include, in addition to an uplink sub-frame anda downlink sub-frame, a header portion (not shown) including a downlinkmap (DLMAP) and an uplink map (ULMAP) communicating portions of theuplink sub-frame and/or the downlink sub-frame that have been allocatedto each mobile station.

Downlink portion 301 may comprise one or more time-slots 311 allocatedto a first wireless MAC (such as, for example, first wireless MAC 101and/or first wireless MAC 201) for receiving downlink communicationsfrom the base station. Uplink portion 303 may comprise one or moretime-slots 313 allocated to the first wireless MAC for transmittinguplink communication to the base station. There may be instances wheremultiple downlink and/or uplink time slots are allocated to the firstwireless MAC. Remaining portions of downlink sub-frame 301 and uplinksub-frame 303 not allocated to the first wireless MAC may be allocatedto other wireless MACs for communication with the base station.

Receive time period 305 may comprise a time period that a trafficarbiter (such as for example traffic arbiter 105 or traffic arbiter 205)may allow a second Wireless MAC (such as for example second wireless MAC103 or second wireless MAC 203) to receive communication from anotherwireless device (such as for example wireless device 211). In variousembodiments, the second wireless MAC may be a Bluetooth™ MAC. Transmittime period 307 may comprise a time period that the traffic arbiter mayallow the second wireless MAC to transmit communication to the otherwireless device. In embodiments, there may be little probability ofdisruptive communication when first wireless MAC and second wireless MACboth transmit at the same time and/or when they receive at the sametime.

In accordance with various embodiments, the traffic arbiter may allowthe second wireless MAC to transmit during one or more portions ofreceive time period 305 other than during receive-only time period 315(corresponding to the time of downlink time-slot 311 allocated to thefirst wireless MAC). The traffic arbiter may allow the second wirelessMAC to receive during one or more portions of transmit time period 307other than transmit-only time period 317 (corresponding to the time ofuplink time-slot 313 allocated to the first wireless MAC).

FIG. 4 illustrates frame synchronization between two Media AccessControls in accordance with various embodiments. Downlink sub-frames 401may alternate with uplink sub-frames 403 according to a first wirelessMAC protocol. One downlink sub-frame 401 and one uplink sub-frame 403may, along with a header portion (not shown), represent a single firstwireless MAC frame. In embodiments, a second wireless MAC (such as forexample second wireless MAC 103 and/or second wireless MAC 203) may beconfigured to synchronize with the first wireless MAC protocol timing.In embodiments—such as where the second wireless MAC protocol isBluetooth™—the second wireless MAC may be operating in either a slavemode or a master mode. Where the second wireless MAC operates in a slavemode, it may receive communication from the master before transmitting.In such embodiments, the second wireless MAC may request that the masterwireless device alter the clock offset such that the end of the receiveportion of second wireless MAC frame 411 coincides with the end ofdownlink sub-frame 401 of the first wireless MAC frame. This way, thesecond wireless MAC may receive during downlink sub-frame 401 of thefirst wireless MAC and transmit during uplink sub-frame 403 of the firstwireless MAC.

In embodiments where the second wireless MAC operates in a master mode,it may transmit before receiving. In this case, the second wireless MACmay be configured to alter the clock-offset such that the end of thetransmit sub-frame of second wireless MAC frame 421 coincides with theend of the uplink sub-frame 403 and with the beginning of downlinksub-frame 401.

In embodiments where the first wireless MAC frame is a WiMAX frame,downlink sub-frame 401 may be 3.5 ms in duration and uplink sub-frame403 may be 1.5 ms in duration. In embodiments wherein second wirelessMAC frame 411 is a Bluetooth™ frame, the receive portion may be 625microseconds and the transmit portion may be 625 microseconds.

FIG. 5 illustrates a timing diagram with one Media Access Controlutilizing a sleep mode in accordance with various embodiments of thepresent invention. In embodiments—such as embodiments where the firstwireless MAC protocol is WiMAX—the first wireless MAC may be configuredto utilize a sleep mode. In some embodiments, the first wireless MAC maybe configured to negotiate sleep periods with the base station,including periodic sleep periods. A traffic arbiter may be configured toinstruct or request that the first wireless MAC enter sleep mode onoccasion. In embodiments, the requirements of applications utilizing thefirst wireless MAC and/or a second wireless MAC may determine timesand/or the frequency with which the first wireless MAC enters a sleepmode.

First wireless MAC sub-frames 501, 503, 505, 507, 509, and 511 maycomprise alternating downlink and uplink sub-frames. During a portion ofdownlink sub-frame 501, a first wireless MAC may receive downlink datafrom a base station. During coinciding time period 531, a secondwireless MAC may be allowed—such as by a traffic arbiter—to receivecommunication from another wireless device (such as for example wirelessdevice 211 in FIG. 2). In embodiments depicted in FIG. 5, the secondwireless MAC may not be allowed to transmit during any portion of timeperiod 531. Similarly, during uplink sub-frame 507, the first wirelessMAC may transmit to the base station and the second wireless MAC may beallowed to transmit—but not receive—during any portion of coincidingtime frame 537.

During uplink sub-frame 503, the first wireless MAC may enter a sleepmode. Thus, the second wireless MAC may be allowed to either transmit orreceive during all portions of coinciding time period 533. Because thefirst wireless MAC may not be transmitting during any portion of uplinksub-frame 503, there is no potential for disruptive interference if thesecond wireless MAC receives during this time period. Similarly, duringdownlink sub-frame 509, the first wireless MAC may be in a sleep mode.Thus, the second wireless MAC may be allowed to both transmit andreceive during all portions of coinciding time period 539. Again,because the first wireless MAC may not receive during downlink sub-frame509, there is no potential for disruptive interference if the secondwireless MAC transmits during coinciding time period 539.

Uplink sub-frame 511 and coinciding time period 541 are similar touplink sub-frame 503 and coinciding time period 533. Downlink time frame505 and coinciding time period 535 are similar to downlink sub-frame 501and coinciding time period 531.

FIG. 6 illustrates arbitrating between two Media Access Controls inaccordance with various embodiments. A traffic arbiter may receive atime-slot allocation for a first wireless MAC block 601. The trafficarbiter may then parse the time-slot allocation block 603 and, invarious embodiments, may create some form of a traffic allocation tableblock 605. The traffic arbiter may then receive a transmit or a receiverequest from a second wireless MAC block 607. The traffic arbiter maythen determine, based on the received time-slot allocation for the firstwireless MAC, whether to grant or deny permission, as describedelsewhere within this specification.

FIG. 7 illustrates arbitrating between two Media Access Controls withpriority in accordance with various embodiments. A traffic arbiter mayreceive a request from a second wireless MAC to transmit or receiveblock 701. The traffic arbiter may then receive, substantiallycontemporaneously with the received transmit/receive request, anasserted priority for the requested transmit or receive operation fromthe second wireless MAC block 703. The traffic arbiter may determine,based upon the allocation to a first wireless MAC, whether the currenttime is available for the second wireless MAC to transmit or receiveblock 705 as described elsewhere within this application. If there is atime-slot available, the traffic arbiter may grant transmit/receivepermission to the second wireless MAC block 707 and—if it receives atransmit/receive request from the first wireless MAC during the sametime—deny permission to the first wireless MAC block 709.

If there is not a time-slot available for the second wireless MAC totransmit or receive, then the traffic arbiter may determined whether theasserted priority meets or exceeds a priority of the first wireless MACtime-slot block 711. If it does not, then the traffic arbiter may denypermission to the second wireless MAC to transmit or receive block 713.If the asserted priority does meet or exceed the priority of the firstwireless MAC, then the traffic arbiter may grant permission to thesecond wireless MAC block 707.

Although certain embodiments have been illustrated and described hereinfor purposes of description of the preferred embodiment, it will beappreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a wide variety ofalternate and/or equivalent embodiments or implementations calculated toachieve the same purposes may be substituted for the embodimentsillustrated and described without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. Those with skill in the art will readily appreciatethat embodiments in accordance with the present invention may beimplemented in a very wide variety of ways. This application is intendedto cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussedherein. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that embodiments inaccordance with the present invention be limited only by the claims andthe equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: operating a wireless devicein compliance with each of (i) a first wireless transmission system and(ii) a second wireless transmission system, wherein the second wirelesstransmission system is different from the first wireless transmissionsystem; accessing, by the wireless device, a time slot allocation for afirst series of frames associated with the first wireless transmissionsystem; and based on the time slot allocation for the first series offrames associated with the first wireless transmission system,facilitating, by the wireless device, synchronization of (i) a secondseries of frames associated with the second wireless transmission systemwith (ii) the first series of frames associated with the first wirelesstransmission system, wherein each frame of the first series of framescomprises (i) a corresponding downlink sub-frame and (ii) acorresponding uplink sub-frame, wherein each frame of the second seriesof frames comprises (i) a corresponding receive portion and (ii) acorresponding transmit portion, and wherein facilitating synchronizationof (i) the second series of frames associated with the second wirelesstransmission system with (ii) the first series of frames associated withthe first wireless transmission system further comprises facilitatingsynchronization of the second series of frames with the first series offrames such that (i) a first receive portion of a first frame of thesecond series of frames is synchronized with a first downlink sub-frameof a first frame of the first series of frames and (ii) a first transmitportion of the first frame of the second series of frames issynchronized with a first uplink sub-frame of the first frame of thefirst series of frames.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitatingsynchronization of (i) the second series of frames associated with thesecond wireless transmission system with (ii) the first series of framesassociated with the first wireless transmission system furthercomprises: facilitating synchronization of the second series of frameswith the first series of frames such that each frame of the secondseries of frames is synchronized with a corresponding frame of the firstseries of frames.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein facilitatingsynchronization of (i) the second series of frames associated with thesecond wireless transmission system with (ii) the first series of framesassociated with the first wireless transmission system furthercomprises: accessing, by the wireless device, a time slot allocation forthe second series of frames associated with the second wirelesstransmission system; comparing (i) the time slot allocation for thefirst series of frames associated with the first wireless transmissionsystem and (ii) the time slot allocation for the second series of framesassociated with the second wireless transmission system; and based oncomparing (i) the time slot allocation for the first series of framesassociated with the first wireless transmission system and (ii) the timeslot allocation for the second series of frames associated with thesecond wireless transmission system, facilitating synchronization of (i)the second series of frames associated with the second wirelesstransmission system with (ii) the first series of frames associated withthe first wireless transmission system.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein facilitating synchronization of (i) the second series of framesassociated with the second wireless transmission system with (ii) thefirst series of frames associated with the first wireless transmissionsystem further comprises: facilitating alteration of a clock signalassociated with the second wireless transmission system such that thesecond series of frames associated with the second wireless transmissionsystem is synchronized with the first series of frames associated withthe first wireless transmission system.
 5. The method of claim 4,wherein facilitating alteration of the clock signal associated with thesecond wireless transmission system further comprises: offsetting theclock signal associated with the second wireless transmission system. 6.The method of claim 1, wherein facilitating synchronization of (i) thesecond series of frames associated with the second wireless transmissionsystem with (ii) the first series of frames associated with the firstwireless transmission system further comprises: operating the wirelessdevice as a master device within the second wireless transmissionsystem; accessing, by the wireless device, a time slot allocation forthe second series of frames associated with the second wirelesstransmission system; comparing, by the wireless device, (i) the timeslot allocation for the first series of frames associated with the firstwireless transmission system and (ii) the time slot allocation for thesecond series of frames associated with the second wireless transmissionsystem; and based on (i) comparing the time slot allocation for thefirst series of frames associated with the first wireless transmissionsystem and the time slot allocation for the second series of framesassociated with the second wireless transmission and (ii) the wirelessdevice operating as the master device within the second wirelesstransmission system, synchronizing, by the wireless device, the secondseries of frames associated with the second wireless transmission systemwith the first series of frames associated with the first wirelesstransmission system.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wirelessdevice is designated as a slave device within the second wirelesstransmission system, and wherein facilitating synchronization of (i) thesecond series of frames associated with the second wireless transmissionsystem with (ii) the first series of frames associated with the firstwireless transmission system further comprises: accessing, by thewireless device, a time slot allocation for the second series of framesassociated with the second wireless transmission system; comparing, bythe wireless device, (i) the time slot allocation for the first seriesof frames associated with the first wireless transmission system and(ii) the time slot allocation for the second series of frames associatedwith the second wireless transmission system; temporarily operating thewireless device as the master device within the second wirelesstransmission system; and (i) while temporarily operating the wirelessdevice as the master device within the second wireless transmissionsystem and (ii) based on comparing the time slot allocation for thefirst series of frames associated with the first wireless transmissionsystem and the time slot allocation for the second series of framesassociated with the second wireless transmission system, synchronizing,by the wireless device, the second series of frames associated with thesecond wireless transmission system with the first series of framesassociated with the first wireless transmission system.
 8. The method ofclaim 7, further comprising: subsequent to synchronizing the secondseries of frames with the first series of frames, operating the wirelessdevice as the slave device within the second wireless transmissionsystem.
 9. A method comprising: operating a wireless device incompliance with each of (i) a first wireless transmission system and(ii) a second wireless transmission system, wherein the second wirelesstransmission system is different from the first wireless transmissionsystem; accessing, by the wireless device, a time slot allocation for afirst series of frames associated with the first wireless transmissionsystem; and based on the time slot allocation for the first series offrames associated with the first wireless transmission system,facilitating, by the wireless device, synchronization of (i) a secondseries of frames associated with the second wireless transmission systemwith (ii) the first series of frames associated with the first wirelesstransmission system, wherein the wireless device is a first wirelessdevice, and wherein facilitating synchronization of (i) the secondseries of frames associated with the second wireless transmission systemwith (ii) the first series of frames associated with the first wirelesstransmission system further comprises operating the first wirelessdevice as a slave device within the second wireless transmission system,wherein the first wireless device communicates with a second wirelessdevice that operates as a master device within the second wirelesstransmission system, accessing, by the first wireless device, a timeslot allocation for the second series of frames associated with thesecond wireless transmission system, comparing, by the first wirelessdevice, (i) the time slot allocation for the first series of framesassociated with the first wireless transmission system and (ii) the timeslot allocation for the second series of frames associated with thesecond wireless transmission system, and based on (i) comparing the timeslot allocation for the first series of frames associated with the firstwireless transmission system and the time slot allocation for the secondseries of frames associated with the second wireless transmission and(ii) the first wireless device operating as the slave device within thesecond wireless transmission system, requesting the second wirelessdevice to synchronize the second series of frames associated with thesecond wireless transmission system with the first series of framesassociated with the first wireless transmission system.
 10. A wirelessdevice comprising: a first wireless media access control (MAC)configured to (i) control media access on a first wireless transmissionsystem and (ii) access time slot allocation for a first series of framesassociated with the first wireless transmission system; and a secondwireless MAC configured to control media access on a second wirelesstransmission system, wherein the second wireless transmission system isdifferent from the first wireless transmission system, and based on thetime slot allocation for the first series of frames associated with thefirst wireless transmission system, facilitate synchronization of (i) asecond series of frames associated with the second wireless transmissionsystem with (ii) the first series of frames associated with the firstwireless transmission system, wherein each frame of the first series offrames comprises (i) a corresponding downlink sub-frame and (ii) acorresponding uplink sub-frame, wherein each frame of the second seriesof frames comprises (i) a corresponding receive portion and (ii) acorresponding transmit portion, and wherein the second wireless MAC isconfigured to facilitate synchronization of (i) the second series offrames associated with the second wireless transmission system with (ii)the first series of frames associated with the first wirelesstransmission system by facilitating synchronization of the second seriesof frames with the first series of frames such that (i) a first receiveportion of a first frame of the second series of frames is synchronizedwith a first downlink sub-frame of a first frame of the first series offrames and (ii) a first transmit portion of the first frame of thesecond series of frames is synchronized with a first uplink sub-frame ofthe first frame of the first series of frames.
 11. The wireless deviceof claim 10, wherein the second wireless MAC is configured to facilitatesynchronization of (i) the second series of frames associated with thesecond wireless transmission system with (ii) the first series of framesassociated with the first wireless transmission system by: facilitatingsynchronization of the second series of frames with the first series offrames such that each frame of the second series of frames issynchronized with a corresponding frame of the first series of frames.12. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein the second wireless MAC isconfigured to facilitate synchronization of (i) the second series offrames associated with the second wireless transmission system with (ii)the first series of frames associated with the first wirelesstransmission system by: accessing a time slot allocation for the secondseries of frames associated with the second wireless transmissionsystem; comparing (i) the time slot allocation for the first series offrames associated with the first wireless transmission system and (ii)the time slot allocation for the second series of frames associated withthe second wireless transmission system; and based on comparing (i) thetime slot allocation for the first series of frames associated with thefirst wireless transmission system and (ii) the time slot allocation forthe second series of frames associated with the second wirelesstransmission system, facilitating synchronization of (i) the secondseries of frames associated with the second wireless transmission systemwith (ii) the first series of frames associated with the first wirelesstransmission system.
 13. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein thesecond wireless MAC is configured to facilitate synchronization of (i)the second series of frames associated with the second wirelesstransmission system with (ii) the first series of frames associated withthe first wireless transmission system by: facilitating alteration of aclock signal associated with the second wireless transmission systemsuch that the second series of frames associated with the secondwireless transmission system is synchronized with the first series offrames associated with the first wireless transmission system.
 14. Thewireless device of claim 13, wherein the alteration of the clock signalassociated with the second wireless transmission system is performed byoffsetting the clock signal associated with the second wirelesstransmission system.
 15. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein thesecond wireless MAC is configured to facilitate synchronization of (i)the second series of frames associated with the second wirelesstransmission system with (ii) the first series of frames associated withthe first wireless transmission system by: operating the wireless deviceas a master device within the second wireless transmission system;accessing a time slot allocation for the second series of framesassociated with the second wireless transmission system; comparing (i)the time slot allocation for the first series of frames associated withthe first wireless transmission system and (ii) the time slot allocationfor the second series of frames associated with the second wirelesstransmission system; and based on (i) comparing the time slot allocationfor the first series of frames associated with the first wirelesstransmission system and the time slot allocation for the second seriesof frames associated with the second wireless transmission and (ii) thewireless device operating as the master device within the secondwireless transmission system, synchronizing (i) the second series offrames associated with the second wireless transmission system with (ii)the first series of frames associated with the first wirelesstransmission system.
 16. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein thewireless device is designated as a slave device within the secondwireless transmission system, and wherein the second wireless MAC isconfigured to facilitate synchronization of (i) the second series offrames associated with the second wireless transmission system with (ii)the first series of frames associated with the first wirelesstransmission system by: accessing a time slot allocation for the secondseries of frames associated with the second wireless transmissionsystem; comparing (i) the time slot allocation for the first series offrames associated with the first wireless transmission system and (ii)the time slot allocation for the second series of frames associated withthe second wireless transmission system; temporarily operating thewireless device as the master device within the second wirelesstransmission system; and (i) while temporarily operating the wirelessdevice as the master device within the second wireless transmissionsystem and (ii) based on comparing the time slot allocation for thefirst series of frames associated with the first wireless transmissionsystem and the time slot allocation for the second series of framesassociated with the second wireless transmission system, synchronizing(i) the second series of frames associated with the second wirelesstransmission system with (ii) the first series of frames associated withthe first wireless transmission system.
 17. The wireless device of claim16, wherein the second wireless MAC is further configured to: subsequentto synchronizing the second series of frames with the first series offrames, operate the wireless device as the slave device within thesecond wireless transmission system.
 18. A wireless device comprising: afirst wireless media access control (MAC) configured to (i) controlmedia access on a first wireless transmission system and (ii) accesstime slot allocation for a first series of frames associated with thefirst wireless transmission system; and a second wireless MAC configuredto control media access on a second wireless transmission system,wherein the second wireless transmission system is different from thefirst wireless transmission system, and based on the time slotallocation for the first series of frames associated with the firstwireless transmission system, facilitate synchronization of (i) a secondseries of frames associated with the second wireless transmission systemwith (ii) the first series of frames associated with the first wirelesstransmission system, wherein the wireless device is a first wirelessdevice, and wherein the second wireless MAC is configured to facilitatesynchronization of (i) the second series of frames associated with thesecond wireless transmission system with (ii) the first series of framesassociated with the first wireless transmission system by operating thefirst wireless device as a slave device within the second wirelesstransmission system, wherein the first wireless device communicates witha second wireless device that operates as a master device within thesecond wireless transmission system, accessing a time slot allocationfor the second series of frames associated with the second wirelesstransmission system, comparing (i) the time slot allocation for thefirst series of frames associated with the first wireless transmissionsystem and (ii) the time slot allocation for the second series of framesassociated with the second wireless transmission system, and based on(i) comparing the time slot allocation for the first series of framesassociated with the first wireless transmission system and the time slotallocation for the second series of frames associated with the secondwireless transmission and (ii) the first wireless device operating asthe slave device within the second wireless transmission system,requesting the second wireless device to synchronize the second seriesof frames associated with the second wireless transmission system withthe first series of frames associated with the first wirelesstransmission system.
 19. A method comprising: operating a wirelessdevice in compliance with each of (i) a first wireless transmissionstandard and (ii) a second wireless transmission standard, wherein thesecond wireless transmission standard is different from the firstwireless transmission standard; accessing, by the wireless device, atime slot allocation for a first frame associated with the firstwireless transmission standard; and based on the time slot allocationfor the first frame associated with the first wireless transmissionstandard, facilitating, by the wireless device, synchronization of (i) asecond frame associated with the second wireless transmission standardwith (ii) the first frame associated with the first wirelesstransmission standard, wherein the first frame comprises (i) a firstsub-frame and (ii) a second sub-frame, wherein the second framecomprises (i) a first portion and (ii) a second portion, and whereinfacilitating synchronization of the second frame with the first framefurther comprises facilitating synchronization of the second frame withthe first frame such that (i) the first portion of the second frame issynchronized with the first sub-frame of the first frame and (ii) thesecond portion of the second frame is synchronized with the secondsub-frame of the first frame.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein: thewireless device is a first wireless device; the first sub-frame of thefirst frame comprises a downlink sub-frame; the first wireless device isconfigured to receive data from a second wireless device during at leasta part of the downlink sub-frame in compliance with the first wirelesstransmission standard; the second sub-frame of the first frame comprisesan uplink sub-frame; and the first wireless device is configured totransmit data to the second wireless device during at least a part ofthe uplink sub-frame in compliance with the first wireless transmissionstandard.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein: the first portion of thesecond frame comprises a receive portion; the first wireless device isconfigured to receive data from a third wireless device during at leasta part of the receive portion of the second frame in compliance with thesecond wireless transmission standard; the second portion of the secondframe comprises a transmit portion; and the first wireless device isconfigured to transmit data to the third wireless device during at leasta part of the transmit portion of the second frame in compliance withthe second wireless transmission standard.